We, too, are called to transfigure our lives. Here is an essential question the bishop asks you today: is our faith transfiguring our lives? Are we witnesses of Jesus with our transfigured life? Let us put the Word of God at the center. If we listen to Jesus, our life, day after day, will also be transfigured by the love of God, which was manifested in the Paschal Mystery.
On the occasion of the inauguration of the Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, Bp Paolo was invited to give a speech on harmony during the celebration of the Day of Harmony on February, 15, where other religious leaders were present.
The word of God today helps us to reflect deeply on our conversion. The Gospel tells us about the temptations of Jesus in the desert; he overcame them. This gives us courage that with Jesus, we, too, can face every temptation in life, knowing that we are not alone. We are together with Jesus, who conquered the world.
Lent is a time for purification of hearts, forgiveness of sins, and profound conversion. There is a fundamental condition to rightly live the season of Lent, that is, recognizing our sins and having a sincere desire to be reconciled with God.
Lent is a journey of Hope because God wants our salvation and offers us his abundant forgiveness and mercy. We are called to move from the slavery of sin to the Freedom of being children of God: to conversion, a profound change of life.
A sick person needs not only medical care but the closeness of the loved ones. The patient needs to feel loved and to discover that his life is not simply a burden or useless. We must also remember that what truly heals is the heart with love. God's love heals and restores not only the body but all of life.
We have many reasons for joy. We remember the 5th anniversary of the Apostolic visit of Pope Francis to Abu Dhabi. The Carmelite sisters and the Missionaries of Charity celebrate their Golden Jubilee. All the consecrated people here present today, will now renew their vows.
The memory of those days still fills our hearts with gratitude and awakens us with a profound sense of responsibility for the Church and the whole world.
Our Apostolic Vicariate could not exist concretely without the dedication of consecrated people. Your spirituality and the different charisms are an immeasurable wealth for our local Church. Thank you above all for what you are even before what you do. Thank you for your testimony of life consecrated to God.
This festival is also called the celebration of the meeting because it celebrates the meeting between God and humanity. God in Jesus comes to meet the world wounded by evil and closed in the darkness of sin. People who wish to be freed from the chains of evil come to meet the Lord to welcome in him the light of the world and salvation.